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Purchasing first system (your opinions are valued)

MikeFrank

MikeFrank

Active Member
Hello All,

First off, I want to thank you all for all the content and advice I have read leading up to this point. Your passion for audio, especially the vintage audio, is clear. You seem to be a true community and I have appreciated your knowledge as I have been dipping my toes into the stereo market.

I am going to explain my music tastes because I am going to seek your valued advice on components. I am a long time music lover. My musical tastes are more about good grove, good riffs, and heavy beats, but I like a lot of music. I am not looking at a system that is good for opera, classical, orchestra, etc. I love rock, blues, soul, rap, alternative, punk, and anything else that gets my fingers drumming and feet tapping. I tend to be more about good base sounds and not the higher end.

I have always wanted a good sound system. I don't care if I can play movies through it. I want a system that can play my records, CD's, MP3s and Bluetooth audio. I don't need it to be crazy loud, but I might turn it up for certain songs. I don't have an audiophile ear, to be honest (mostly cause I've been to too many shoes without hearing protection.) I just want something that will play my music and sound good to an amateur ear without breaking my bank. In other words, I am not someone who could tell the difference between a $150 bottle of bourbon and a $30 bottle. Good bourbon is good bourbon whether it costs a lot or not. The same applies to audio.

I am at the very beginning stages of assembling a sound system. When I review the new equipment versus the vintage stuff, I tend to lean vintage because it just seems more about the music. I also took to heart a post I saw on this site that said the old stuff was built better and to be repaired if something went wrong as opposed to just being replaced.

I have been watching local Craigslist, Letgo, rummage sales, and Ebay. I am not made of money, but scouring rummage sales for lengthy periods of time does not appeal to me. It seem the vintage market has become more popular recently, so finding deals on the sales sites is less likely. There is a guy locally who seems to offer a lot of decent looking equipment on Craigslist. In all of his ads, he has done the cleaning and lubrication, but has not performed restoration. He does guarantee his sales and if something doesn't work or breaks, he'll repair it. His prices seem high compared to so many of your posts on here about the various deals you have encountered.

I am going to list a few of what he has for sale and I would appreciate any opinions you might have on what would be the best deal, any concerns you might have, if you think the deal is way out of bounds, and what you personally would think is the best option given all I have typed above. Here are the items I am considering.

Marantz 2230 in excellent condition for $400
Harmon-Kardon 330B in excellent condition for $180
Sansui 2000X in good condition for $200
Pioneer SX-450 in good condition for $100
Marantx 2225 in excellent condition for $300
Realistic STA-2000 in excellent condition for $275
JVC JR-S301 in excellent condition for $150
Marantz 2238B in like new condition for $450

I am looking at spending about $1000 for the total system. I am probably going to go with a modern turntable and bluetooth receiver, but don't really have a preference regarding new or old on the CD player. I kind of want to go modern on the turntable to have a USB connection option. The turntable I keep seeing as good option for the money is the Audio-Technica AT-LP120. t goes for about $300 on Amazon. The bluetooth receiver that I have seen getting some good reviews for connecting to vintage is the StarTech BT2A. It goes for about $55 on Amazon.

Speakers are even more confusing for me than the receivers themselves. I have an opportunity to get a pair of Klipsch SF2 speakers for $180 for the pair.

If you have read this ridiculously long post and gotten to this point, I am looking for your invaluable advice. Any of those receiver options seem like an especially good deal? Which one would you go with? Any concerns about the turntable, bluetooth or speakers? Am I way off base on anything?

I am leaning towards the Marantz 2230 but could be talked into any of the options.

Thank you for your help and advice.
 
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The 2230 or Harman Kardon 330 would be an excellent choice, and paired with the SF2's should satisfy your requirements.

The 2230 is regarded as one of the best sounding vintage receivers available, the HK 330 is a very close second.

The SF2's can be a little bright/harsh sounding with modern gear so the "warmer" sounding Marantz or HK receiver make a good match.

As much as I am a fan of vintage gear, there are some modern pieces available that may also fit the bill. I just hate to see someone new to the hobby become disappointed by a piece of failing gear. Not that either the Marantz or HK are unreliable, their age just increases the potential for disappointment.

Yamaha makes several two channel receivers and integrated amplifiers with more power than the previously mentioned Marantz and HK receivers. These also include Bluetooth and Network streaming capabilities thereby reducing the need for additional components. While costing a little more than your vintage options they come with a full warranty and may be an option to consider.

Welcome to AK, and welcome to the hobby. One thing you will learn is that opinions vary almost a much as your available options. Always remember that no matter what, YOU are the one who has to like YOUR system.
 
You could find a Onkyo TX-4500 mk II or a Hitachi sr-904 and have money to spare for the price of that Marantz. Both models are under the radar and sound great.Kenwood and Yamaha are nice options as well.Nothing wrong with the Marantz,you just pay more for the name.
 
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Welcome to AK!

The Harmon Kardon 330B strikes me as the bargain in your list, but I am not a receiver expert. To make use of a USB turntable output, you will need a USB DAC, which vintage receivers do not have. It seems the AT-120's non-USB mode actually still goes through an active stage, which some tweakers disable. Vintage is not a bad way to go for vinyl/analogue sound (and looks). Although you said you do not have an audiophile ear, I think many people on this site would avoid Bluetooth in a home system.

My best advice would be to start listening to as many speakers as you can, trying to develop the ability to distinguish 'natural' from 'impressive'. Nothing wrong with bass, but it's easy to mistake more for better early on. Lastly, it's not too early to start thinking about your room, and where you're going to put this stuff. You will want your speakers at least 6 feet apart, not bunched together in a corner.

Good luck on your journey. :music:
 
I would stay with vintage on the turntable. You will get better sound for the same or less money. They are very easy to find in good working condition. You can add something else to access your blue tooth such as a apple tv or other piece.
 
Welcome to the forums MikeFrank:)

I am very impressed by the JVC JR-S301.For $150, you'll never lose,and you get your resale value right up front. This is my first choice,followed by the Realistic.

This weird looking little guy is the mid-point of that model series,and an incredible value. The build quality of this machine is as good as or better than any of the others listed,and it's audio performance is second to none. The phono and tuner sections are extremely good,and when you crank it up,you will be astonished at just how loud,dynamic and good sounding a well designed 60 wpc amplifier section can be.It is also one of the few offerings that ever had a top quality and very usable graphic equalizer in place if the usual tone controls.

Except for the Realistic,all of the others are lightweight in the wattage dept. You say you like good bass? Then I can tell you that the JVC delivers in spades; Clean,tight and distortion free (refer to what I'm playing in my avatar).This is probably the most forgotten,under-the-radar receiver ever made! If you can get past the looks,haha.

Keep in mind that I am a diehard tube-equipment guy,and I have also been a tech for around 30 years,so I'm not easily impressed when it comes to either sound or build quality. And my thought is that this guy is a winner. In fact,this is the same receiver that I installed at my GF's place with a pair of KEF 104/2's.Cats and convenience meant skipping the tubes,and we just love listening to this setup. And I generally HATE solid state.......

Cheers,

Art
 
sqlsavior said:
Welcome to AK!

The Harmon Kardon 330B strikes me as the bargain in your list, but I am not a receiver expert. To make use of a USB turntable output, you will need a USB DAC, which vintage receivers do not have.
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The USB output from a USB equipped TT connects directly to any PC/Mac. You have the option of using the onboard USB interface or the analog output which will connect directly to any line level input on a receiver/amplifier.
 
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Become an AK Subscriber and you'll have the extra advantage of perusing the Barter Town forum. Plenty of great deals to be had there. I recently saw a pair of Spica TC-50 speakers at a great price (no affiliation).

Oh yes, and welcome to AK!
 
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Thank you to all of you who have responded to this point.

The USB on the turntable was just in case I wanted to rip some albums to digital. I don't intend on playing music through a USB to a vintage receiver.

Art, if it sounds good it could look like a bearded Bea Arthur and I'd listen to it. Looks don't matter to me, just sound, value and performance. I will add the other receivers mentioned and research them too.

You guys are fantastic. Cheers.
 
If you want USB capability from your turntable, I'd suggest a much better option than the LP120 would be to get a good vintage table with a good cartridge, then add some sort of analog to digital converter. If you are wanting to capture LPs, you could consider using something like the Zoom H2 or H4 or a similar Tascam product.
 
From what I have seen, when you get consistent viewpoints on here you should take the advice and run with it. So a vintage turntable is the way to go and my modern one was a bit off base.

What vintage turntables brands would you all recommend?
 
MikeFrank said:
Thank you to all of you who have responded to this point.

The USB on the turntable was just in case I wanted to rip some albums to digital. I don't intend on playing music through a USB to a vintage receiver.

Art, if it sounds good it could look like a bearded Bea Arthur and I'd listen to it. Looks don't matter to me, just sound, value and performance. I will add the other receivers mentioned and research them too.

You guys are fantastic. Cheers.
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Personally, I'd recommend getting a vintage turntable and one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Sou...d=1500823441&sr=8-1&keywords=creative+x-fi+hd . I've used one for the past 4+ years and it works wonderfully; using that and a TOTL Kenwood turntable, the rips sound awesome. Way better than with my Ion USB turntable haha.

MikeFrank said:
From what I have seen, when you get consistent viewpoints on here you should take the advice and run with it. So a vintage turntable is the way to go and my modern one was a bit off base.

What vintage turntables brands would you all recommend?
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Pioneer, Technics, and Kenwood are my top 3 for availability and for their cost to performance/reliability ratio. There's others and better brands of course.
 
Nightwisher said:
Personally, I'd recommend getting a vintage turntable and one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Sou...d=1500823441&sr=8-1&keywords=creative+x-fi+hd . I've used one for the past 4+ years and it works wonderfully; using that and a TOTL Kenwood turntable, the rips sound awesome. Way better than with my Ion USB turntable haha.


Pioneer, Technics, and Kenwood are my top 3 for availability and for their cost to performance/reliability ratio. There's others and better brands of course.
Click to expand...

Thank you Nightwisher. Any models in those families that I should specifically look for OR specifically avoid?
 
MikeFrank said:
Art, if it sounds good it could look like a bearded Bea Arthur and I'd listen to it. Looks don't matter to me, just sound, value and performance.
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That describes a lot of my own equipment:rflmao:

I will add a +1 to the vintage tt suggestion. Doesn't even have to be ''vintage'' per se; regular ''old'' should do just fine. Most reputable brands that were built before the demise of vinyl will easily outperform the entry level offerings of today.The difficulty lies in separating the good models from the dime a dozen plastic wonders,but what is actually available is usually what determines your choice.Luckily,thanks to the google-webnet,when you find something that catches your eye you can quickly research it online.
 
MikeFrank said:
Thank you Nightwisher. Any models in those families that I should specifically look for OR specifically avoid?
Click to expand...

Avoid turntables with "P-mount" tonearms. They severely limit your cartridge choices. A standard tonearm with a removable headshell that happens to have a P-mount cartridge mounted on it, using an adapter, is OK.

Try to get one with a tonearm with a height adjustment - usually a set-screw holding the vertical pillar, but an adjustment ring is even better.
 
Look at some of the self powered speakers from JBL, YAMAHA and the likes. They can be had for fairly cheap and open up more room for your source. Also you must remember that for the most part a good stereo system is the culmination, accumulation and evolution of your personal likes, tastes and life. It takes time to get to where most enthusiasts are with their own systems. Good luck and post what you end up getting, we would love to see.
 
my advice would be to spend in the low range of your budget. Reasons are simple:
1. chances are, you will upgrade with time as your ears adjust or the technology demands you do
2. pick vintage stuff for value. you may find that special Marantz appreciates in value over time
3. vintage turntables give you the most choices and at the lowest prices - look closely at CL
and local thrift shops. Pioneer PL/1x/1xx for belt drives, Technics for Direct Drive, etc.
4. speakers are difficult, good bass units for rock, small mini-monitors for classical, etc
but again, large selection if old or vintage.

don't get caught up in the it's-gotta-make-me-money or I-need-to get-it-all-back-when-I-sell
if you buy a $150 receiver, play it for 5 years, then use it another 5 in another bedroom/basement
then sell it for $100 - it's $5 a year.

and if you have money left over, spend it on the music.
 
I would probably go new TT and speakers and one of the classic receivers. For a $1K budget:
Marantz 2230 Receiver $400.00
Orbit Plus TT $289.00
Elac B6 speakers $278.00
Or for another $100.00 go new Marantz 6005 Integrated. 60W per channel $500.00
This is a pretty solid system you can grow with. You can add a USB converter later when the time comes.
Just my humble opinion.
 
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